


A Time Where Innocence Prevailed

by ReclessAbandon



Category: Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order (Video Game)
Genre: Adoptive family, Anon - Freeform, Child Cal Kestis, Child Reader, Childhood, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, F/M, Non-Force Sensitive, Non-Force Sensitive Reader, Oneshot, Orphaned but then Adopted, Orphans, Padawan Cal Kestis, Protocol Droid - Freeform, Tumblr, Tumblr Ask Box Fic, Tumblr Prompt, Wookiees (Star Wars), Young Cal Kestis, anon request, fic request, non-jedi, non-jedi reader, young reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:47:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25405633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReclessAbandon/pseuds/ReclessAbandon
Summary: The young Padawan Cal Kestis joins his master, Jaro Tapal, to a campaign in Kashyyyk in order to give aid to the warring Wookiees against the hostile Trandoshans. During their trip, little Cal meets an unlikely friend that he’ll surely keep it in his memory for time immemorial.
Relationships: Cal Kestis/Reader
Comments: 15
Kudos: 31





	A Time Where Innocence Prevailed

**Author's Note:**

> Requested by Anon in my Tumblr ask box. I actually love this prompt because this is my very first time to write a fic mainly focused on a Young Cal Kestis! I thought it would be definitely adorable, and I can imagine the sweet, pure fluffiness that transpires in his adventures with Master Jaro Tapal! On a serious note, some of the italicized dialog lines will be the direct translation from Wookiee to the protocol droid’s Galactic Basic—I personally thought it’s redundant and looks like sentence filler to switch between Wookiees speaking and protocol droid when they’re basically saying the same thing to the Basic-speaking characters.

“Good morning, General Tapal,” a clone waiting outside the ship greeted the Jedi.

“Good morning, Captain Prell. Are the preparations done for travel?”

“Yes, sir. We’re ready when you are!”

“Good,”

There was a long pause after their exchange. Captain Prell slightly bobbed his head to the side. Normally, he would find a little ginger boy tagging along behind the tall Lasat Jedi.

“Is something wrong, Captain?”

“Err… I was wondering where you little Padawan might be, sir.”

Jaro Tapal looked to his side and then angled to his behind only to find nothing there. He thought he had his Padawan walking close to him ever since they exited the Jedi Temple and walked to the open landing pad. He looked to the path behind him and saw his apprentice being held back by some of his fellow younglings chatting with him.

When the boy saw over his friends’ shoulders that his master was waiting for him, he quickly bade goodbye and came sprinting towards Master Tapal.

“Come along now, Cal, we mustn’t delay,” beckoned Jaro in his prim, baritone voice.

“Coming, Master! Sorry about that,”

“Watch your step now, child,”

“Watch your head, Master!” Cal quipped as he strode on the entry ramp of their shuttle. He was received with a throaty chuckle as Jaro himself enters the vessel.

They make for the cockpit and settle themselves on their seats. The ten-year-old was so small on the chair that he had about five inches of space on both of his sides! Even so, he made himself comfortable and leisurely swung his legs as they prepared for take-off.

“You ever been to Kashyyyk, kiddo?”

“No, what’s it like there, Captain?”

“Well, there’s sure a lot of trees,”

Upon the shuttle’s arrival through Kashyyyk’s stratosphere, Cal’s amazed, widened eyes could not fit the vast, green expanse of the planet; so much so that the color of the landscape has already taken over his natural jade-green irises. His mouth formed into a full O. The sight from above was breathtaking, and he wanted in on every inch they pass over the dense jungles and grand treetops.

The boy leaned forward, struggling to match his height with the windshield of the shuttle in order to get a better view—as if his perspective right now wasn’t satisfactory. He couldn’t control his excitement and hopped on his toes as they zoomed through.

Cal had unintentionally ignored Jaro Tapal’s gentle warnings to come back to his seat in time for the landing.

“Cal, come on now, sit down before the captain lands the ship,”

“The general’s right, kiddo. We don’t want you bumping your head when we land!”

Cal resorted to following both of them. He jumped back into his seat and watched the landing cycle commence. The clone captain flew into one spot in the forest that provided enough coverage from possible threats—especially the Trandoshans—then settled the ship in one section of a Wookiee settlement on the ground—for they are known to dwell in the higher levels of the trees.

A group of Wookiees flocked the landing area with great curiosity about their new visitors, tilting their heads and lowing in conversation with one another. Jaro Tapal and Cal—along with a protocol droid, named KP-475 or Kay-Pee, for translation—exited the ship; when they stepped out of their vessel, they’re greeted by the leader of the settlement, apparently subordinate to Chieftain Tarfful. When the Wookiee spoke in his native language and protocol droid obliged after every sentence.

“ _Welcome, friends, to our peaceful home. My name is Khevariik, leader of this village.”_

“Khevariik welcomes us in their peaceful village,” the protocol droid relayed.

Khevariik offered shelter for Master Tapal, Cal, Captain Prell, and even Kay-Pee. The four obliged and followed the Wookiee—and his warriors flanked them as they walked on. They stayed in a bigger hut situated in one tier of a high tree trunk. Cal’s wonderment hasn’t run out as he discovers that the cottage were connected with sturdy wooden bridges made with the exact same kind of lumber where the Wookiee homes are built with; but it doesn’t stop there—the bridges appeared like an intricate network, connecting from one tree to another, some of them even connected to the higher levels that if one is to look down, it ought to be a fifty-foot drop!

“Watch your step now,” Jaro warned a jittery Cal.

The cottage was relatively larger than the rest of the cottages they spotted outside, Master Tapal assumed that it could have been some sort of council hall and he was correct. Khevariik situated himself at the northerly side of the room, across him sat Master Tapal and Cal—they were offered libations by Khevariik’s mate and they sincerely accepted.

As the Wookiee conversed with the Jedi Master and filled him in on their situation against the Trandoshans, Cal’s attention is elsewhere. He studied the interior of the cottage, how surprisingly well-lit it was—until he counted all the crude sconces on the parapets around and made sense of the brightness in the room. In the corner of his eye, he noticed a couple of the Wookiees seated along the wall shuffling and lowing in a reactive manner.

The boy gasps at the sight of you: a child, more or less in the same age as him. Similar to the Wookiees, you had ornaments adorning your hair—woven, patterned ribbons that snaked along the braid that crowned your head and beads fastened into locks of your hair.

Master Tapal caught wind of his Padawan’s reaction and unintentionally cut his conversation with Khevariik. The Wookiee leader mewled to acknowledge your presence.

“I saw the ship that wasn’t ours, so I figured to take a look,” you reason out.

“You understand them?”

You nodded.

“A human child?”

The Wookiee lowed a series of growl and yelps, to which KP-475 instantaneously translates.

“Khevariik says the child is part of the clan. The real parents have… erm…”

The droid trailed off, it needn’t to continue as it might offend you. You immediately turned the awkward, somber mood around, but only projected your bright, cheeriness to Cal.

“Hey, wanna come play with me?” you beamed to him, not waiting for his answer a second after you asked him. You looked to Khevariik and then to the tall, purple Lasat who is his apparent custodian. You repeated the same permission to both of the adults.

Cal then turned to Master Tapal, in subtext, he was pleading he’d be allowed to go with you. Before Jaro could even say anything, Khevariik allowed you but there was an underlying tone in his growl.

“Yes, I promise. I won’t stray too far!”

“Well, run along now. Just don’t wander too far off then,” Jaro finally caved in and patted Cal’s head, nearly messing up the top of his hair.

“Yeah!”

Cal scrambled up to his feet and immediately joined you on your way to the door—or lack thereof.

“I’m Cal!”

“Name’s [Y/N]!”

You took the lead, of course, and gave your newfound friend a tour of your home. Along the way, Cal bombarded you with a lot of curious questions—you didn’t mind though, because likewise, you had the same curiosities about him as much as he does with you. The path that you’re taking led to one of your personal playgrounds—spots that only you knew of, your precious secret hideaways.

“So, uh, [Y/N],” Cal grunted as he scaled up a short wall. “How did you end up living here?”

“Oh, well, my parents and I went to live here. But when I was, like, seven… some Trandoshan hunters got caught in a fight with my parents. Good thing the Wookiees are a friendly kind and they rescued me. I owed my life to Khevariik and Itaahka, his mate.”

“Must be hard, missing your parents like that,”

“Yeah, it sure is, but… I’m not lonely. I have another family—the Wookiees!”

For some reason, Cal was relieved that you weren’t in your lonesome—given that you’re being taken care of by the Wookiees—but he wondered if you were lonely because you’re not their kind. You balanced on a thick enough branch that crept along the tree trunk as Cal continued his questions in getting to know you better.

“It felt weird at first, though. Sometimes I see people like me talk to Khevariik, but it’s my first time seeing someone _really_ like me—and that’s you!”

You hopped down from the tree trunk and landed right in front of him. Now, it was your turn to ask the questions.

“Do all Jedi children have that braid tail on their hair?”

“O-Oh, yeah but… I’m not called a Jedi—not yet, at least,”

“Well, what do they call you?”

“Kids like me—who are learning to be Jedi when they grow up—are called Padawans,”

“And that tall, purple person is the one teaching you how to be one?”

“That’s right! So… Um, where’ve you taken us, [Y/N]?”

Your eyes lit up. Cal didn’t notice the wall of vines and limp branches that hung downward until you swept them to one side—revealing a large hole in the wall; it appeared more to be the mouth of a cave, but when he peeked over your shoulder, he didn’t see a cave, rather he saw a slope.

“What’s through there?”

“Oh,” you started in a singsong manner. “You’ll see!”

You turned tail and let yourself drop into the slope. Your whoop of enjoyment echoed and then faded out, leaving Cal in the starting side while you’ve already gotten to the other end.

“Come on, Cal!” your faceless voice called through the mudslide.

Cal angled his entire body slight sideways, his knees buckled, and his ankles locked on. Clumps of damp soil flew and sputtered upon his wake as he slid down. The thrill eventually brought out the laughter in him, all the way until he plopped and landed on his bottom, over a soft carpet of grass.

It would appear that you’ve brought him into a thicket. You called the mudslide your portal to your secret hideout.

“Whooaaa…!” Cal gasped as his pupils widened, absorbing all the sights, lights, and colors that pooled the entire thicket. “This place… is amazing!”

“You think? I found it months ago and no one else knows about it—well, except for you!”

He slowly brought himself up to his feet, eyes still fixated at the entirety of the little paradise, and then dusted off the shreds of grass and dust that clumped on the hem of his tunic.

“Let’s keep this our secret, yeah?” you chirped.

“Of course! My lips are zipped!”

You hold out your hand in front of him, only your pinky finger is sticking out. Cal looked at your hand quizzically and then to you for some clarification.

“Pinky promise?” you initiated.

In response, Cal hooked his own pinky finger with yours, sealing the promise.

“Pinky promise!”

With your pinky fingers intertwined, the two of you shook on it as well—bobbing your tangled hands up and down until one of you withdrew. Your curiosity seemingly has no end, and you continued to bombard Cal with questions about the Jedi and how their way of life works differently from the one you’ve come to know.

He demonstrated his skill in using the Force—this was the very first time you saw someone move an object without touching them! Your eyes popped with wonderment, watching Cal manipulate a bunch of rocks simply by waving his hands slowly—to you, it felt like his arms were dancing—and he willed them to stack on top of each other until he made a small mound of them.

“Wow…” you sighed, staring at the neatly-arranged, miniature mountain of rocks that your new friend has made without ever touching a single one of them with his own hands!

The boy was rather proud of himself that he’s able to impress you, but you didn’t allow him to one-up you in your own home turf.

“My turn to show you something cool! You know how fireflies only light up at night?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, what I’m about to show you says otherwise!”

He followed you further into the thicket, the sunlight was gradually getting dimmer; it began to worry him when he looked back and noticed that you’re getting a bit farther from where you came from. You reassured him that you know this place better than the back of your hand. There was another enclave in front of you, sunlight still pooled through the canopy of the trees, shafts of light spotlighted in random parts of the forest, however a vast majority of the space remained untouched by the sun—not too dim, not too light either, it was the right amount of shade.

“What’s so special about a boulder?”

“Hah! It’s just not any boulder,” you boasted. With all your might, you hauled away the boulder and out comes an _entire_ colony of Light Beetles—the more docile subspecies of Flame Beetles—and they filled the entire forest clearing, despite the broad daylight! They scattered around the air and lit up the clearing like live stars. The two of you were practically standing in their own field.

Truth be told, you seldom did this—because of the varying days and weather—but apparently today was a perfect day to show it to Cal, almost as if the galaxy permitted it, simply to humor your free and innocent spirits. The little, redhead boy spun around slowly, taking all in the sight of the Light Beetles fluttering and floating about in the dim space like a planetarium.

“This is so awesome! Look at that!” your new friend squeaked, and one Light Beetle hovered close to Cal’s nose—its natural bioluminescent light pooled on the boy’s cheeks and face, warranting a delighted giggle out of him.

On the other hand, you carefully caught the little buggers in your hand, let them fly free as soon as you unclasped your hands and watch them flicker their bulbous buttocks as soon as they realize they’re out of their temporary net. The two of you stayed there for a while, Cal almost forgot that they have a campaign to deal with—it’s just that this is the most _genuine_ fun he’s had for as long as he can remember.

Both of you did all sorts of games to pass the time. As a matter of fact, you’ve played more games than you could care to admit that you and Cal lost track of time. The two of you regained your bearings and realized that you’ve taken long enough in your playtime when you heard a calling roar, followed by the sound of Jaro Tapal’s voice.

“[Y/N]! Cal! Come here!”

“Oop, there goes our fun!” you squealed.

Both youngsters hauled themselves back up on their feet, and walked up to a wall of vines. The two of you were fortunately able to scale the wall and have something to grab on, at least, until you’ve reached the top from where the Wookiee scout and Jaro Tapal have called you.

“Come on, it’s time for us to go,”

“Already?!” Cal objected.

Taken aback and surprised by his amplified fondness of the place, Jaro Tapal slightly angled his head to his Padawan and raised an eyebrow for good measure.

“We still have to report back to Coruscant to tell the Council of the situation here in the Wookiees’ home,”

Seeing that he can’t argue with that, Cal was left to go along with his master’s plan. Eventually, Khevariik personally saw Master Tapal, Cal, their clone captain, and the protocol droid to the landing pad; this time, you tagged along from the high level cottage to the surface level where their ship was situated in.

There was bitter taste in Cal’s mouth. He didn’t want to leave yet, the high of the fun was still coursing through his veins—as well as yours—Cal took a moment and walked back to you, standing in front of the cluster of Wookiees who lent their presence—besides Khevariik and Ihtaaka—to bid goodbye to their visitors.

“Well, I guess this is goodbye,”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll see each other again—and we’ll have the same tons of fun like we did earlier!” you chirped.

You spot him make a sniffle and heard him out, “Yeah, I guess. I’ll look forward to that, [Y/N]!”

“Great! Oh, before you leave…”

Cal noticed you unfastening one of the colored cords that added color to your hair. You leaned closer and tied it at the end of his Padawan braid.

“Here, something to remember me by once you leave,”

“Thanks, [Y/N]. I wish I could give you something in return,”

You shake your head and pursed your lips, “No need. I’ve had tons of fun with you—that’s more than enough. It sure was nice to have some company in my secret hideout for once and I’m glad it was you!”

* * *

**_BRACCA, 8 YEARS LATER_ **

Cal—now a young man—stood atop the wing of a salvaged Venator, overlooking the scrapyard that his eye could see. The drizzle was gradually ending and the sun persisted to peek through the dense mixture of post-rain haze and the heavy, cumulonimbus clouds that loomed along the skyline of the landscape.

It was midday, he basked in the rising sun and its warmth as he dries himself from the rainwater that collected on his face. When the rays have beamed strongly through the clouds, Cal shielded his eyes from the light with his hand; the corner of his eye watched the bracelet on his right hand dangle in the wind.

He lowered his hand and gazed upon the band that was once so full of vibrant, dyed colors has now faded or grayed out from the grease and dust that Cal has been exposed to in the scrapyard.

 _“Here, something to remember me by…”_ the voice of your younger self echoed in his mind.

His free hand involuntarily went to his wrist, his thumb ran across the cord—the luster of the fibers have aged, the loose ends of the string have puffed out into messy tufts, and it ran coarse under the skin of his finger.

Behind his eyes, he reminisces and reimagines the rich, green vastness of Kashyyyk from a bird’s-eye view, the melodies of your laughs mingling together so well like music, the cold wind reminded him of the air that flew through his hair when he slid down that mudslide leading to the thicket that seemed so surreal even for Kashyyyk’s standards, and finally, the distant sparks of the mechanics’ and engineers’ tools reminded him of the twinkling Light Beetles that filled the clearing where the two of you stood to gaze at the wonder of those insects.

The whole memory warranted a private smile, as he remembers everything vividly, it’s as if it happened yesterday and the nightmare that is the Jedi Purge never happened at all.

 _I wonder when can I see you again, [Y/N]?_ Cal thought to himself, with the faintest pitter-patter of the remaining rain.

“Hey, Cal, you comin’?!” a male voice called to him from the safer surfaces of their work area.

“Yeah, Prauf, I’m comin’! Just gimme a sec,”

“Alright, well, I’ll meet ya down,”

“Sure!”

When Cal confirmed that Praud has indeed gone out of sight, he returned his eyes to the horizon, the wind combing through his fiery red hair.

“I hope you’re doing okay, wherever you are, [Y/N],” he muttered under his breath and a smile naturally came to him, as if reassuring himself that you’re in a good place, though he misses you so much and wishes that he can return back to the same bliss of his childhood with you.


End file.
